I feel that my introductory medley would still be incomplete if I did
not allude, somewhat more than I have already done, to Mr. Froude's
recently published "Oceana," a work which, in its vigour and high
literary style, marks quite an era in its Australian field. I had
regretted before embarking that, from the pressure of other things, my
acquaintance with it had been limited to the reading of many reviews and
the hearing of much criticism. But I have been well compensated by a
perusal during the peace and ample leisure of this long voyage. I must
confine my remarks to two points only, which, however, are amongst the
most prominent in the book. These are--first, the terms in which he has
alluded to the present condition of New Zealand; and, second, his
ardently loyal remarks, so often repeated, upon that rising question of
the day, the political unity of the empire--a subject which had been
advanced at the time into a most significant importance to the
Australian colonies by the apparent imminence of war with Russia.